Valve mechanism

ABSTRACT

An auxiliary valve for aerosol dispenser cans provided thereto so that small children cannot dispense material from the can simply by applying pressure to the top of the valve mechanism. The auxiliary valve is positioned above the aerosol dispensing valve and it can be opened only by prying the actuating mechanism thereof upward with respect to the dispensing valve. Thereafter the dispensing valve is operated by pressing on its actuating mechanism.

[ Jan. 1,1974

[ VALVE MECHANISM [76] Inventors: John A. McConnell, 5860 Robertson [22] Filed:

Ave.; Everett W. Williamson, 36338 Concord PL, both of Newark, Calif. 94560 Jan. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 221,586

Song 2221402.] Patton et al.

Primary Examiner-Robert B Reeves Assistant ExaminerLarry Martin Atlorney-Harper Allen et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An auxiliary valve for aerosol dispenser cans provided thereto so that small children cannot dispense material [52] US. Cl 222/153, 222/402.11, 222/402.12 [51 Int. Cl B6701 5/32 from the can slmply by applymg pressure to the top of [58] Field f Search 222/153, 394, 4021, the valve mechanism. The auxiliary valve is positioned ZZZ/402.11, 402.12, 402.17, 545; 239/573, 574 above the aerosol dispensing valve and it can be opened only by prying the actuating mechanism 5 References Cited thereof upward with respect to the dispensing valve. UNITED STATES PATENTS Thereafter the dispensing valve is operated by pressing on its actuating mechanism.

1,727,876 9/1929 Gevoauer 239/574 X r 3,378,205 4/t968 Barker 222/402.l2 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 34 i i I l l3 l a 7 I2 I 2 II I 26 26 I L l 35 l VALVE MECHANISM DESCRIPTION 'OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to safety valve mechanisms for aerosol dispenser cans in general. More particularly, this invention relates to an auxiliary safety valve which can not be opened by pressing thereon.

An objectof this invention is to provide a safety valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve of the aerosol can.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved safety device for aerosol dispenser cans which requires an additional operation before the contents of the can can be dispensed, said additional operation being distinctly different from the subsequent dispensing operation. I

A further object of this invention is to provide an aerosol dispenser can valve mechanism made in two parts, one of which is above the other, the upper part being a safety valve which is opened by prying upward thereon and the lower part being the dispensing valve which is rendered operative after the safety valve is opened so that dispensing the contents of the can may then be accomplished by pressing downward on the dispensing valve mechanism.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a valve mechanism to aerosol dispenser cans such that small children will. be precluded from dispensing the contents of the can. Said valve mechanism being such that it may be efficiently and economically manufactured. The valve mechanism of this invention is actually in two parts located one above the other. The upper valve part may be considered the safety valve and this part is provided with an operating member which is positioned directly on the top of the valve mechanism. In this position the safety valve seals the dispensing passage through the valve. Thus when the safety valve is in this position, pressing down on the operating member thereof does not open the dispensing passage even though such pressure may be sufficient to open the dispensing valve. In order to dispense the contents of the can the operator must first pry the safety valve operating member upward and thereafter by inserting a finger under this operating member exert pressure downward on the valve mechanism sufficient to move this mechanism down a predetermined distance required to open 7 the dispensing valve. This procedure opens the dispensing passage and allows the contents of the can to be dispensed.

Further features and details of this invention will be set forth in the following specification, claims and drawing in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an aerosol dispenser can embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing the can with the cap removed therefrom and showing the safety valve mechanism in solid lines in closed position and in broken lines inopen position;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing both the safety valve and the dispensing valve in open position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail reference numeral 10 designates the upper portion of a conventional aerosol spray can containing liquid such as paint, disinfectant, insecticide, etc., under pressure. Can 10 is provided with a cover 11 having a peripheral portion 12 that is tightly rolled over the bead provided to the upper part of the can so as to form an air-tight seal between this bead and the cover. A cap 13 which may be of metal, plastic, or the like, is provided to the can and this cap has an inwardly extending shoulder 14 that is adapted to snap around the bottom of the peripheral portion 12 when the cap is applied to the can.

A valve mechanism 15 is supported in a central hole formed in the cover 11. The valve mechanism is positioned in the tubular member 16 that is provided with a flange 17 around the outside thereof, and the bottom part of this flange is positioned against an inclined surface 18 of the cover. A gasket 19 of rubber or similar resilient material is positioned between the upper surface of the flange l7 and the lower surface of the inturned flange 20 of the cover. Thus, the flange 17 is held clamped between the sloping surface 18 and the inturned flange 20 and an air-tight seal is provided between the tubular member 16 and the cover 11.

The valve mechanism is provided with a stem 21 which has a flattened side portions 22 as shown in FIG. 4, and the lower part 23 of this stem is made smaller than the upper part so as to provide a shoulder 24 engaging the upper part of the coil spring 25. The lower part of the coil spring 25 engages the tops of the flutes 26 that are provided in the lower part of the tubular member 16. The spring 25 urges the member 21 upward so that the valve hole 27 is normally closed by the gasket 19.

The hole 27 opens into a cavity 28 provided in the upper part of the member 21 and the piston 29 is slidable in this cavity. The piston 29 is attached to the bottom of the rod 30 and the member 31 is attached to the upper end of this rod. The upper part of the cavity 28 is sealed by the plug 32 which forms a bearing for the rod 30. When the cap 13 is applied to the can 10 as shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface of the cap bears against the top of the member 31 so that this member is down against the top of member 21 and the piston 29 seals the top of the hole 27. At this time the bottom of the hole 27 is sealed by the gasket. 19 as shown in FIG. 2. When it is desired to use some of the contents of the can 10 the cap 13 is removed and the operator inserts a finger under the member 31 and into the cutaway portion 33 of member 21 so that he can move the member 31 upward as shown in broken outline in FIG. 3. Thus, the piston 29 is moved away from the upper end of the hole 27 into the upper part of the cavity 28 and clears the inside of the hole 34 as shown in FIG. 4. With the piston 29, rod 30 and member .31 in this upper position the operator then presses down on the surface 33 of member 21 as shown in FIG. 4 so that the lower opening of the hole or passage 27 is moved away from the gasket 19. This opens the bottom end of the hole 27 to the liquid under pressure in the can 10 and some of the liquid is pressed up through the tube 35 into the valve mechanism. The liquid passes along the sides 22 of the valve member 21 and moves through the passage 27 into the cavity 28 and out of this cavity through the hole or passage 34.

While we have shown and described a preferred form of the invention it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown and should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the combination comprising an aerosol can having a cover with a valve mechanism attached thereto, said valve mechanism comprising a fluid dispensing valve and a safety valve, said valves closing opposite ends of a fluid passage, means actuating said dispensing valve, auxiliary means actuating said safety valve, said auxiliary means having access limitingmeans extending over at least part of said first mentioned means limiting access to said first mentioned actuating means, said safety valve being opened by raising said auxiliary means with respect to said first mentionedactuating means, raising said auxiliary means also raising said access limiting means thereby providing access to said first mentioned actuating means, and said dispensing valve being opened by pressing on said first mentioned actuating means after said auxiliary means is raised.

2. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the

combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said valve mechanism includes a hollow body member clamped into an aperture in said cover, a cap frictionally engaging the top of the aerosol dispenser can, the inside of said cap engaging the top of said auxiliary actuating means to hold said safety valve closed.

3. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that said valve mechanism also includes a movable member in said hollow body member having a cavity connected to one end of said fluid passage, said safety valve comprising a piston movable in said cavity to close said one end of said passage.

4. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said valve mechanism includes a movable member slidable in said hollow body member, said fluid passage extending through said movable member so that one end thereof is normally closed by a gasket and the other end thereof is adapted to be closed by said safety valve, said auxiliary actuating means including a movable rod slidable in the top portion of said movable member so that said safety valve may be opened by lifting said rod. 

1. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the combination comprising an aerosol can having a cover with a valve mechanism attached thereto, said valve mechanism comprising a fluid dispensing valve and a safety valve, said valves closing opposite ends of a fluid passage, means actuating said dispensing valve, auxiliary means actuating said safety valve, said auxiliary means having access limiting means extending over at least part of said first mentioned means limiting access to said first mentioned actuating means, said safety valve being opened by raising said auxiliary means with respect to said first mentioned actuating means, raising said auxiliary means also raising said access limiting means thereby providing access to said first mentioned actuating means, and said dispensing valve being opened by pressing on said first mentioned actuating means after said auxiliary means is raised.
 2. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said valve mechanism includes a hollow body member clamped into an aperture in said cover, a cap frictionally engaging the top of the aerosol dispenser can, the inside of said cap engaging the top of said auxiliary actuating means to hold said safety valve closed.
 3. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that said valve mechanism also includes a movable member in said hollow body member having a cavity connected to one end of said fluid passage, said safety valve comprising a piston movable in said cavity to close said one end of said passage.
 4. In a valve mechanism for aerosol dispenser cans provided with a safety valve which requires an additional and different operation for the opening thereof from that required to open the dispensing valve, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said valve mechanism includes a movable member slidable in said hollow body member, said fluid passage extending through said movable member so that one end thereof is normally closed by a gasket and the other end thereof is adapted to be closed by said safety valve, said auxiliary actuating means including a movable rod slidable in the top portion of said movable member so that said safety valve may be opened by lifting said rod. 